146 
THE COTTAGE GARDENER. 
May 26. 
j 
I 
our cottage friends to beware of tlieir advances. Digging, 
hoeing, hand-weeding—each, or all, must be resorted to, 
according to the weather and other circumstances. To those 
who have an opportunity, I recommend digging, as perform¬ 
ing a double service—cleaning and cultivating. Few are able 
to estimate the value of spade-cleaning, for we must coin a 
name for this process. How many times have most of us 
seen labourers hoeing and raking when the soil was damp, 
and it may be a recurrence of rains during the process. I 
have repeatedly known as much time wasted thus as would ; 
have dug over the plot in question; and who can for a 
moment place the two operations on a par, as to their utility. 
Digging down weeds before seeding admits air into the soil, 
and promotes the free dispersion of moisture ; indeed, it is 
what may be termed a summer’s fallow. I do not say dig 
through all crops, some regard must he paid to the character 
of the roots if the operator is at work between rows or 
drills. There are cases in which much damage would ensue 
to crops by preferring the spade to the hoe; however, this 
is easily judged by the workman. It is no part of his busi¬ 
ness to hack the fibres of growing vegetables. Where it 
becomes necessary to use the hoe, the operator should 
consider that there are two distinct processes which may be 
carried out by this tool—the one simply weed killing, the 
other by hoeing deeply, a loosening of the soil operation. 
Now, these, performed by the same impletnent, may be 
separate or combined, dependant, of course, on circum¬ 
stances, such as the weather, the character of the crops, &c. 
The hoe should never be used except the surface of the soil 
be dry, and then if there be any weeds they should be raked 
off at the same time. 
Root Crops. —By the time these remarks reach our 
readers the Mangold will be above ground ; the Swedes up, 
or at hand; Carrots in a similar position; and Parsnips a 
good plant. Hand-weeding in the lines is the first thing to 
resort to, or hand-hoeing. I prefer running the hand 
through them first, and this may be done when the hoe 
cannot be usefully employed. About a week or so afterwards, : 
the plants may be singled out on the first dry period; after¬ 
wards a good hand-hoeing will be very beneficial. Little 
more will be requisite until the “ setting-out time; ’’ that is ' 
to say, the final thinning, after which they will enjoy another j 
hoeing, and after this deep culture between the lines. These 
remarks apply to drilled root crops in general. 
The young Carrot plant just rising must be carefully ! 
guarded from slugs and snails ; they are particularly partial 
to the Carrot. Lime may be had recourse to ; this, applied 
on a dewy evening, just at night fall, thousands may be 
speedily destroyed. I have known Parsnip crops also much 
injured by them. 
Those who want to succeed some early crops as Potatoes, 
with the Swede Turnip, may still sow a bed, and although i 
after the usual time, they will be soon enough for this i 
purpose. As I have before remarked, it is better to sow a 
little later for this purpose, than that the plants should be 
1 ‘ drawn,” by standing over their time, thickly, in a crowded 
seed-bed. I may also repeat, that where seed-beds of 1 
Swedes have been thinned-out for early planting, and a 
portion left, that such may bo planted with advantage when 
the bulbs are as large as ducks’ eggs. 
Those who fear the grub amongst their Carrot crops, will 
do well, if a bed can be spared, to sow it with the Early 
Horn Carrot. If the soil be tolerably rich this may be 
sown to advantage any time before Midsummer. 
Potatoes. —The Ash-leavedKidney, and other early kinds, 
will require their final soiling, if not done already; in doing 
this every weed must be rooted up. Some persons object 
to soiling, or earthing, but they have assuredly wrong im¬ 
pressions, if the crop is intended for market, or to eat. I 
have grown early Potatoes in all forms, but I have inva¬ 
riably found them liable to become greened if left bare of 
soil, especially the Ash-leaved Kidney, which has a tendency 
to breed its tubers at a high level. Darkness is absolutely 
necessary as to eating Potatoes. The later crops of Potatoes, 
too, must be seen to in time; nothing is worse than by de¬ 
laying the necessary operations to be compelled to trample 
on their young and delicate stems. Let, therefore, all 
operations be well canned out before the stems get too 
much abroad ; or, as the Cheshire folks say, before the rows 
“ shake hands” with each other. 
And here I may point to the probability of the disease 
returning. No man can say that it may not, on some 
future occasion, visit us weeks earlier; the consequence of 
which it is fearful to contemplate. Let every one, therefore, 
be prepared with something to take the place of such a 
failure. If the cottager or allotment holder cannot, through 
the disease, carry a full crop of Potatoes, he must produce 
something in their room which will prove an equivalent in 
value, if possible. I know of nothing so eligible as the 
Swedish Turnip, which will transplant so easily, and for 
which there is ever a demand. I before spoke of the seed¬ 
bed of Swedes; it is only sowing a bed, or row extra; it is 
better to have a few hundreds to sell than to have to buy. 
Cabbageworts. — Green Kale, Brussels Sprouts, and Savoys 
are the chief. Now, if I held an allotment near a thriving 
town, and more especially near a railway line—a most de¬ 
sirable thing for an ingenious and industrious man, who j 
knows how to make the best of everything—I would crop 
my ground with a keen regard to the demands of the nearest 
good market. As for my family, I should rest satisfied that 
if I could but make cash by a little extra ingenuity, I should 
be in a position to sustain domestic comforts Amongst the 
various things eligible for this purpose, the family of which 
I am now writing oiler many chances. It is not so much of 
any particular kind, as of the season of produce, and the 
many little “ dodges ” necessary to steal a march on other 
competitors. In this class may be named Sea-kale; this is 
in the power of every allotment holder to produce annually, 
when it is realising from one to two shillings per dish in 
our markets. The limits of allotment monthly advice will 
not permit me to go fully into this subject ; I must take 
another occasion; in the mean time, I throw out such hints ' 
as pioneers to open the way to ingenious minds. 
For ordinary purposes, an additional sowing of the Rrusseht 
Sprout may be made now on good soil. I am here supposing 
that they will be used as secondary crops, succeeding some 
early summer crop. All the other greens will, of course, be 
above ground, and will require weeding, perhaps thinning 
slightly. 
And here let me remind our friends, that about the 
middle of June is a capital time to save what are termed 
Coleworts ; these might be made a most profitable crop, near 
towns, if rendered compatible with the rest of the cropping. 
Any Brocoli, or green plants, getting too forward, and for 
which the ground will not be ready for a month or so, should 
be pricked-out to strengthen, at about two or three inches 
apart. Those who require Michaelmas Cauliflowers, for sale 
or otherwise, must sow in the first week of June, and get i 
their plants forward carefully. 
Peas will require little attention if justice has been done 
them in due time; sticked, of course, they will be, if sticks 
be needed, and a little soil will have been drawn to their I 
stems. As to sowing Teas now, it is nonsense; it is all j 
very well for Dukes and Lords. 
Broad Beans. —These, too, will be in a position to require j 
no care but gathering the produce when ready for the bacon, 
unless the last sowing may possibly require a little soil to 
prevent their being pushed about by the storms. No more 
Bean-sowing may be allowed little gardeners until next 
February. 
Runners Kidney Beans will, I hope, have been sown 
in the early part of May; they will want stakes or some 
kind of conductor; strings do well, or, indeed, they may, by 
continual pinching, be made tolerably profitable without 
any support. In Kidney Beans, the dwarf kind, the little 
gardener can do nothing now as to succession crops. Those 
up will require soiling to prevent wind action. 
Leeks are a good cottager’s vegetable. Those who mock 
the Welchman little think what a treat he has in his Leeks. 
Whether it be the sulphurous character imparted to the 
Onion tribe of plants, or whether it be the natural succu¬ 
lence of the Leek, when grown strong and blanched like 
Celery, I know not, but certain it is, that many palates arc 
agreeably surprised at the richness, mellowness, &c., of a 
good, fat, blanched Leek, of some two inches diameter, 
if served up with a piece of fat bacon, or, what will be a 
tolerable substitute, a little butter. 
Lettuces. —Capital things for either man or swine, but 
they are rather expensive to produce ; for unless a Lettuce 
be bulky, succulent, and blanched, it is nothing, and to pro- 
